The use of internal combustion engines, batteries, jet propulsion, and the like to provide power to underwater vehicles is known. In addition, the use of batteries has exhibited limited success, however the energy density of battery powered systems has been less than desirable.
As an alternative, the chemical reaction of aluminum with water, fresh or salt, is known to be highly energetic and has been proposed as a basis for an energy producing system. The basic reaction between aluminum and water is2Al+3H2O→Al2O3+3H2  Equation 1with the products of this reaction exhibiting temperatures up to 3800° F. However, such temperatures and products have heretofore proven to be impractical for power systems that can provide a steady and sustained flow of energy. Therefore, even though the above chemical reaction is extremely energy favorable, the use of aluminum as a fuel to provide a reliable source of energy has proven evasive. Therefore, a power source that reacts aluminum with water and provides reliable power would be desirable.